Other LanguagesBIG SKY, Mont. – Attorney General Rob McKenna will lead two top-level sessions focusing cybercrime and homeland security at the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) 2005 Summer Meeting this week.
“ Washington has some of the top experts in these areas and I’m proud to have helped facilitate bringing their knowledge and experience before my fellow AGs,” McKenna said.
On Thursday morning, McKenna will serve as moderator on a panel titled, “Technology 101: Our New Virtual Reality Demo: Worms, Viruses, Cookies, Monitoring Online Use, ID Theft – How does it work?” He will be joined by a number of local experts.
Steven Gribble, assistant professor in the University of Washington’s Computer Science and Engineering Department, will present a 45-minute demonstration on “What Ills can a Consumer Encounter on the Web and how Cyber Thieves Collect Information.”
“ Washington has a reputation as a leading state in the technology arena and our experts are on the cutting edge of cybercrime technology,” McKenna said. “This session will provide valuable insight to attorneys general across the nation.”
On a panel exploring what attorneys general can do about these issues, Ernest Hayden, chief information security officer for the Port of Seattle, will discuss the “Laissez-Faire Approach,” letting technology and the market develop. Brad Smith, senior vice president and general counsel for Microsoft will cover the “Litigation Approach.” Anna Holmquist Davis, director of the Office of Congressional Relations for the Federal Trade Commission, and Dave Cullinane, chief information security officer for Washington Mutual, will focus on the “Legislative Fix.”
“ With the latest news on the security breach at CardSystems, Inc., this session could not be more timely,” McKenna said. “Crooks are getting smarter by the day and we need to stay a step ahead in our efforts to protect citizens and crack down on cybercrime.”
Because this issue is such a high priority for him, McKenna was successful in securing a $1.6 million increase in funding for the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to focus on identity theft and other Internet crimes.
The second panel McKenna will moderate deals with homeland security issues on the northern U.S. border, including terrorism, human trafficking, drug smuggling and illegal immigration.
Confirmed panelists include James McDevitt, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington; Roy Hoffman, asst. special agent in charge of Washington, Oregon and Alaska for the Immigration and Custom Enforcement Section of the Department of Homeland Security; and Michael Ness, chief agent for the North Dakota Bureau of Investigation.
“ Border issues consume a great deal of law enforcement’s time,” McKenna said. “From drug trafficking to terrorism, it’s crucial that our borders are safe and well-protected. I look forward to learning from the experts on this panel and appreciate their willingness to share their knowledge with us.”
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For more information contact:
Janelle Guthrie, AG Media Relations Director, (360) 586-0725